Methods of operating p-channel non-volatile memory devices

ABSTRACT

Methods of operating non-volatile memory devices are described. The memory devices comprise memory cells having an n-type semiconductor substrate and p-type source and drain regions disposed below a surface of the substrate and separated by a channel region. A tunneling dielectric layer is disposed above the channel region. A charge storage layer is disposed above the tunneling dielectric layer. An upper insulating layer is disposed above the charge storage layer, and a gate is disposed above the upper insulating multi-layer structure. A positive bias is applied to a word lines of the memory device in a selected memory cell and a negative bias is applied to a bit line in the selected cell.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/689,767, filed on Jun. 10, 2005, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Non-volatile memory (“NVM”) refers to semiconductor memory which is able to continually store information even when the supply of electricity is removed from the device containing the NVM cell. NVM includes Mask Read-Only Memory (Mask ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), and Flash Memory. Non-volatile memory is extensively used in the semiconductor industry and is a class of memory developed to prevent loss of programmed data. Typically, non-volatile memory can be programmed, read and/or erased based on the device's end-use requirements, and the programmed data can be stored for a long period of time.

A flash memory device generally includes an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns. Each memory cell includes a MOS transistor structure having a gate, a drain, a source, and a channel defined between the drain and the source. The gate corresponds to a word line, and the drain or source corresponds to a bit line of the memory array. The gate of a conventional flash memory cell is generally a dual-gate structure, including a control gate and a floating gate, wherein the floating gate is sandwiched between two dielectric layers to trap carriers such as electrons, to “program” the cell. In other words, in a conventional cell, a first dielectric layer is formed over the channel, the floating gate is formed over the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer is formed over the floating gate, and the control gate is finally formed over the second dielectric layer.

During programming, a set of programming biases are applied to selected word lines and bit lines. One or more memory cells corresponding to the selected word lines and bit lines are biased in the programming state. For a single memory cell, different biases applied to the source and drain thereof create an electric field along the channel thereof, through which electrons gain enough energy to tunnel through the first dielectric layer into the floating gate and become stored therein. As a result of the stored electrons in the floating gate, the threshold voltage of the memory cell is modified. The changing of the threshold voltage determines whether the memory cell is programmed.

To read a memory cell, reading biases are applied and a sensing device reads a current passing through the memory cell. If a memory cell is programmed, or has electrons stored in its floating gate, its current level is different from those memory cells which are not programmed. Therefore, based on the measured current level, the sensing device is capable of determining the state of each memory cell.

To erase the information stored in a flash memory cell, erasing biases are applied thereto to force the stored electrons to funnel out the floating gate, through a known mechanism referred to as Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) tunneling.

However, certain problems are associated with conventional flash memory, such as, for example, high power consumption and program and read disturbances. High power consumption is due to high program and erasure voltages required to induce electron tunneling for program and erase operations. Program and read disturbances relate to current leakage occurring at non-selected neighboring memory cells.

A disturbance occurs when one selected cell in the memory array is being read or programmed and another non-selected programmed memory cell sharing the same word line or bit line experiences current leakage caused by electron tunneling of the selected cell. A loss of electrons stored in the floating gate of the non-selected memory cell may result in a change of status from “programmed” to “erased”. The read disturbance is further explained with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a flash memory array comprising conventional floating gate memory cells.

Thus there is a need in the art for memory cell designs and devices containing arrays of such memory cells which can be operated via methods which avoid the aforementioned problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to memory devices, and more particularly, to non-volatile memory devices which can employ band-to-band tunneling induced hot electron injection programming methods.

The present invention includes methods of operating a memory device, wherein the memory device includes a substrate having n-type conductivity and a plurality of memory cells formed thereon, each memory cell including a control gate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region defined between the source and drain regions, a charge-storage layer provided above the channel region, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure provided between the charge-storage layer and the channel region, and an insulating layer provided between the charge-storage layer and the control gate, wherein the source region and the drain region each have p-type conductivity, and wherein the control gate corresponds to a word line, the source region corresponds to a first bit line, and the drain region corresponds to a second bit line. Non-volatile memory cells which can be operated in accordance with the methods of the present invention wherein the charge-storage layer comprises a charge-trapping material provide each memory cell with a first bit portion and a second bit portion each for storing one bit of information.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a method of programming a p-channel memory cell of the present invention by applying a positive bias to the word line of the memory cell, applying a negative bias to a bit line of the memory cell, and applying a ground bias to another bit line of the memory cell. In certain preferred embodiments, a negative bias can be applied to one or more other word lines in an array during a programming operation to reduce potential program disturb effects.

Additional embodiments of the present invention include methods of operating memory cells and devices, wherein a reset/erase operation is carried out prior to or subsequent to programming. A reset/erase operation can be carried out by applying a negative bias to the word line of the selected memory cell and applying a ground bias to both the first bit line and the second bit line. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of memory cells are reset or erased by applying a negative bias to two or more word lines in selected memory cells and applying a ground bias to the bit lines in each of the selected cells.

Memory devices which can be operated in accordance with the methods of the present invention can include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of discontinuous bit lines formed in the substrate, wherein each discontinuous bit line includes a plurality of diffusion regions spaced apart from each other, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure formed on the substrate, a charge-trapping layer formed on the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure, an insulating layer formed on the charge-trapping layer, and a plurality of word lines formed over the insulating layer. The plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines along with the tunneling dielectric structure, the charge-trapping layer and the insulating layer define a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell corresponding to an intersection of a word line and two adjacent diffusion regions of one of the plurality of discontinuous bit lines. Each memory cell includes a transistor formed by one of the plurality of the word lines, two adjacent diffusion regions of one of the plurality of discontinuous bit lines, and the tunneling dielectric layer, the charge-trapping layer and the insulating layer disposed there between.

In accordance with the present invention, there is also provided an operation method for a memory device, wherein the memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of discontinuous bit lines formed in the substrate, wherein each discontinuous bit line includes a plurality of diffusion regions spaced apart from each other, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure formed on the substrate, a charge-trapping layer formed on the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure, an insulating layer formed on the charge-trapping layer, and a plurality of word lines formed over the insulating layer. The plurality of word lines and the plurality bit lines along with the tunneling dielectric layer, the charge-trapping layer and the insulating layer define a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell corresponding to one word line and two adjacent diffusion regions of one of the plurality of discontinuous bit lines, and wherein each discontinuous bit line has a first end and a second end. The operation method includes selecting a memory cell by applying a turn-on voltage to all of the plurality of word lines except the word line of the selected memory cell and applying a ground bias to both the first and the second end of all of the plurality of discontinuous bit lines except the discontinuous bit line of the selected memory cell, and operating the selected memory cell.

Memory devices which can be operated in accordance with the methods of the present invention also include arrays formed in an n-type substrate, and having a first p-type diffusion region formed in the substrate corresponding to a first bit line, a second p-type diffusion region formed in the substrate corresponding to a second bit line, a channel region defined as a part of the substrate between the first p-type diffusion region and the second p-type diffusion region, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure formed above the channel region, a charge-trapping layer formed on the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure, an insulating layer formed on the charge-trapping layer, and a control gate formed over the insulating layer corresponding to a word line. The charge-trapping layer includes a first part for storing a first bit of information and a second part for storing a second bit of information.

Memory devices operable in accordance with the methods of the present invention also include memory devices comprising a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of bit lines each including a diffusion region formed in the substrate, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure formed over the substrate, a charge-trapping layer formed over the multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure, an insulating layer formed over the charge-trapping layer, and a plurality of word lines formed over the insulating layer. The plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines define a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell corresponding to one word line and two adjacent bit lines, and wherein each memory cell includes a transistor formed by the corresponding word line and the corresponding two adjacent bit lines.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The present invention includes methods of operating p-channel non-volatile memory cells and devices which comprise a plurality of such memory cells (i.e., an array). As used herein, the term “plurality” and the phrase “at least two” synonymously refer to two or more of the element to which the term or phrase refers. Additionally, as used herein, the singular indefinite articles “a” and “an”, and the definite article “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a memory cell” can include a plurality of such memory cells.

In certain preferred embodiments, the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure can include a layer comprising a material having a small hole tunneling barrier height, wherein the material is present in the layer at a concentration gradient such that the concentration of the material is at a maximum at a depth point within the layer. As used herein, the phrase “small hole tunneling barrier height” refers generally to values which are less than or equal to the approximate hole tunneling barrier height of silicon dioxide. In particular, a small hole tunneling barrier height is preferably less than or equal to about 4.5 eV. More preferably, a small hole tunneling barrier height is less than or equal to about 1.9 eV.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a p-channel memory cell operable in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a representation of a NAND array architecture operable in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic representation of the NAND array architecture depicted in FIG. 2 in the channel length direction;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic representation of the NAND array architecture depicted in FIG. 2 in the channel width direction;

FIG. 5 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a NAND array architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a NAND array architecture under reset/erase biases in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of erase state threshold voltage as a function of erase time.

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are equivalent circuit diagrams of a NAND array architecture under programming biases in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a graphical representation of the threshold voltage of the two bits of a single cell after programming;

FIG. 10 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a NAND array architecture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention highlighting adjacent cells;

FIG. 11 is a graph showing limited programming disturb characteristics of devices/operations in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 12 and 12 b are equivalent circuit diagrams of a NAND array architecture under read biases in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 13 a and 13 b are graphical representations of the threshold voltage windows of 2-bit/cell as a function of read voltage;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are graphical current-voltages (IV) analyses of devices in accordance with the rules;

FIG. 16 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a NAND array architecture after reset/erase in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a graphical representation of the erase state threshold voltage as a function of time at three different gate voltages.

FIG. 18 is a graphical representation of program/erase cycle characteristics of a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the invention and the presently preferred embodiments thereof, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the non-graph drawings are in greatly simplified form and are not to precise scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. In reference to the disclosure herein, for purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. Such directional terms used in conjunction with the following description of the drawings should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner not explicitly set forth in the appended claims. Although the disclosure herein refers to certain illustrated embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example and not by way of limitation. It is to be understood and appreciated that the process steps and structures described herein do not cover a complete process flow for the manufacture of entire integrated circuits. The present invention may be practiced in conjunction with various integrated circuit fabrication techniques that are known in the art or to be developed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a p-channel NVM device which can utilize a programming method comprising band-to-band tunneling induced hot electron injection (BTBTHE). The memory device may comprise a memory array including a matrix of p-channel memory cells. Memory arrays comprising p-channel NVM cells in NAND architectures operated in accordance with the methods of the present invention can provide flash memory applications with very high programming throughput (e.g., >20 MB/sec).

FIG. 1 depicts a cell structure of an exemplary memory cell 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a semiconductor substrate 101 with two diffusion regions 102 and 104 formed therein. Semiconductor substrate 101 may comprise any conventional semiconductor material, such as silicon. The substrate 101 has n-type conductivity, and diffusion regions 102 and 104 have p-type conductivity. A multi-layer stack is formed over a channel region 106 formed in semiconductor substrate 101 between diffusion regions 102 and 104. The multi-layer stack includes a multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure 120, a charge-storage layer 130, an insulating layer 140, and a control gate 150. The multi-layer tunneling dielectric structure 120 can preferably comprise an ultra-thin ONO structure comprising a first tunneling oxide layer 122, a small hole-tunneling-barrier height layer 124, and a second tunneling dielectric 126. The charge-storage layer 130 can preferably comprise a charge-trapping material such as, for example, silicon nitride, and the insulating layer 140 can preferably comprise silicon dioxide. The control gate 150 may comprise polycrystalline silicon, a metal, metal silicide, or a combination thereof. Memory device 100 comprises a p-type MOS transistor, with a diffusion regions 102 and 104 serving as the source/drain regions thereof.

A memory cell in accordance with the present invention comprises a semiconductor substrate. Any substrate material suitable for use in semiconductor devices may be used. In many preferred embodiments of the present invention, the semiconductor substrate comprises a silicon material. Silicon wafers prepared via standard techniques can be used to prepare a suitable substrate. For example, suitable wafers can be prepared via a process wherein silicon is grown from a small crystal, called the seed crystal, rotated and slowly withdrawn from a molten hyper-pure silicon to give a cylindrical crystal, which is then sliced to obtain thin disks, which after slicing, are finely ground, mirror-smooth polished and cleaned. Thus, for example, in FIG. 1, substrate 101 can comprise a silicon wafer.

In accordance with the present invention, the semiconductor substrate comprises n-type silicon. Generally, n-type silicon substrates capable of use in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention include silicon wafers which have been lightly n-doped. In the present invention wherein the source/drain regions comprise p+ doped implantation regions, a lightly n-doped substrate can be advantageous in programming and reading of the memory cell due to the reverse bias of the PN junctions. N-type doping of a semiconductor substrate such as silicon can be carried out in any suitable manner, such as, via an implantation of, for example, arsenic, phosphorous, nitrogen or any other free-electron element capable of use in semiconductor materials. Preferably, the n-type doping is carried out at a dosage level of from about 10¹³/cm³ to about 10¹⁶/cm³ More preferably, the n-type doping is carried out at a dosage level of from about 10¹⁴/cm³ to about 10¹⁵/cm³.

The multi-layer tunneling dielectric layer preferably comprises a layer having a small hole-tunneling barrier height. As used herein, materials having a small hole-tunneling barrier height refer to suitable dielectric materials that when under an electric field are capable of allowing tunneling, but when unbiased, prevent direct tunneling, and can be deposited thin enough to not serve as a charge-trapping layer itself. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the multi-layer tunneling dielectric comprises an ONO structure having layer thicknesses of 15/20/18 angstroms, respectively.

In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, control gate 118 corresponds to a word line of a memory array, and source 104 and drain 106 (or alternatively, source 106 and drain 104) correspond to bit lines of the memory array. Therefore, each memory cell has a corresponding word line and pair of corresponding bit lines, or a first bit line and a second bit line. In certain more preferred embodiments of the present invention, control gate 118 corresponds to a word line of a memory array, and source 104 and drain 106 (or alternatively, source 106 and drain 104) correspond to two adjacent diffusion regions of a discontinuous bit line in the array.

It is to be understood that a MOS structure is generally symmetrical and the source and drain are interchangeable in functionality. Therefore, in the above and following descriptions and in any embodiment of the present invention, the source and drain of a memory cell, or the first and second bit lines of an array, may be interchanged without affecting the functionality of the cell or array or the scope of the present invention. In other words, a particular diffusion region may function as either a source or drain in a given cell depending upon the applied voltages, as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Memory cells in accordance with the present invention include: a multilayer tunneling dielectric structure, which can include a first silicon oxide layer O1, a first silicon nitride layer N1, and a second silicon oxide layer O2; a charge-storage layer, such as a second silicon nitride layer N2; and an insulating layer such as a third silicon oxide layer O3, on or over (“above”) a substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate). The tunneling dielectric structure allows hole tunneling from the substrate to the charge-storage layer during an erase/reset operation of the memory device. Preferably, the tunnel dielectric structure in a non-volatile memory cell of the present invention has a negligible charge-trapping efficiency, and more preferably, does not trap charge at all during memory operations.

Charge storage materials such as a silicon nitride layer, HfO₂, and Al₂O₃ may be used as the small hole tunneling barrier height layer in a tunnel dielectric structure. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, an efficient charge storage material, such as a silicon nitride can be used as a charge storage layer in the memory device. A blocking oxide that prevents charge loss may serve as an insulating layer, such as a third silicon oxide layer O3. The memory cells according to the present invention also include a gate or gate electrode, such as a polysilicon gate, above the insulating layer. The tunnel dielectric structure, charge storage layer, insulating layer and gate can be formed above the substrate above at least a portion of a channel region, which is defined by and is disposed between a source region and a drain region.

Memory cells according to various embodiments of the present invention comprise a tunnel dielectric structure which can provide fast FN erase speeds of around 10 msec under a negative gate voltage (Vg), such as a Vg of about −10 to about −20 V. On the other hand, the charge retention can still be maintained, and, in some examples, may be better than many conventional SONOS devices. Memory cells according to the present invention can also avoid the use of band-to-band hot hole erase operations, which, are commonly used in NROM devices. Avoidance of such band-to-band hot hole erase operations may greatly eliminate hot-hole introduced damages and such avoidance is therefore desirable.

A tunneling dielectric structure may include two or more layers, including one layer that may provide a small hole-tunneling-barrier height. In one example, the layer providing a small hole-tunneling-barrier height may contain silicon nitride. The layer may be sandwiched between two silicon oxide layers, thereby forming an O/N/O tunnel dielectric if silicon nitride is used as the intermediate layer. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, each layer in a tunnel dielectric structure is up to about 4 nm thick. In some preferred embodiments, each of the layers in the tunnel dielectric structure can have a thickness of about 1 nm to 3 nm. In one exemplary device, a tri-layer structure may have a bottom layer, such as a silicon oxide layer, of about 10 Å to 30 Å, an intermediate layer, such as a silicon nitride layer, of about 10 Å to 30 Å, and a top layer, such as another silicon oxide layer, of about 10 Å to 30 Å. In one particular example, an O/N/O tri-layer structure having a 15 Å bottom silicon oxide layer, a 20 Å intermediate silicon nitride layer, and an 18 Å top silicon oxide layer may be used.

A thin O/N/O tri-layer structure shows negligible charge trapping when operated in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Theoretical band diagram and tunneling current analysis suggests that a tunnel dielectric structure, such as an O1/N1/O2 structure having thicknesses of 3 nm or less for each of the layers, can suppress the hole direct-tunneling at low electric field during retention. At the same time, it still may allow efficient hole tunneling at high electric field. This may be because the band offset can effectively screen out the tunneling barrier of N1 and O2. Therefore, a device in accordance with the present invention may offer fast hole tunneling erase, while it is immune from the retention problem of the conventional SONOS devices. Experimental analysis shows excellent endurance and retention properties of memory cells in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

In certain preferred embodiments, the tunnel dielectric structure includes at least a middle layer and two adjacent layers on opposing sides of the middle layer, wherein each of the middle layer and two adjacent layers comprises a first material and a second material, wherein the second material has a valence band energy level greater than the valence band energy level of the first material and the second material has a conduction band energy level less than the conduction band energy level of the first material; and wherein the concentration of the second material is higher in the middle layer than in the two adjacent layers and the concentration of the first material is higher in the two adjacent layers than in the middle layer. Preferably, in a tunnel dielectric structure in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the first material comprises oxygen and/or an oxygen-containing compound and the second material comprises nitrogen and/or a nitrogen-containing compound. For example, the first material can comprise an oxide, such as silicon oxide, and the second material can comprise a nitride, such as Si₃N₄ or Si_(x)O_(y)N_(z).

Tunnel dielectrics in accordance with this aspect of the invention may be comprised of three or more layers, all of which can contain similar elements (such as Si, N and O), so long as the concentration of the material having the smallest hole tunneling barrier height is higher within the middle layer than in the two adjacent layers.

In certain tunnel dielectric structures according to the preceding embodiment of the present invention, the second material can be present in the middle layer in a gradient concentration such that the concentration of the second material in the middle layer increases from one adjacent layer/middle layer interface to a maximum concentration at a depth point within the middle layer, and decreases from the maximum concentration depth point to a lower concentration at the other adjacent layer/middle layer interface. The increase and decrease in concentration is preferably gradual.

In still other embodiments of the present invention, the tunnel dielectric structure includes at least a middle layer and two adjacent layers on opposing sides of the middle layer, wherein the two adjacent layers comprise a first material and the middle layer comprises a second material, wherein the second material has a valence band energy level greater than the valence band energy level of the first material and the second material has a conduction band energy level less than the conduction band energy level of the first material; and wherein the second material is present in the middle layer in a gradient concentration such that the concentration of the second material in the middle layer increases from one adjacent layer/middle layer interface to a maximum concentration at a depth point within the middle layer, and decreases from the maximum concentration depth point to a lower concentration at the other adjacent layer/middle layer interface. The increase and decrease in concentration is preferably gradual. Preferably, in a tunnel dielectric structure in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the first material comprises oxygen and/or an oxygen-containing compound and the second material comprises nitrogen and/or a nitrogen-containing compound. For example, the first material can comprise an oxide, such as silicon oxide, and the second material can comprise a nitride, such as Si₃N₄ or Si_(x)O_(y)N_(z).

For example, in embodiments of the present invention where the tunnel dielectric layer comprises a tri-layer ONO structure, the bottom oxide and top oxide layers can comprise silicon dioxide and the middle nitride layer can be comprised of, for example, silicon oxynitride and silicon nitride wherein the concentration of silicon nitride (i.e., the material having the smaller hole tunneling barrier height of the two) is not constant within the layer, but rather reaches a maximum at some depth point within the layer between the two interfaces with the sandwiching oxide layers.

The precise point within the middle layer where the material with the smallest hole tunneling barrier height reaches its maximum concentration is not critical, so long as it is present in a gradient and reaches its maximum concentration in the tunnel dielectric layer at some point within the middle layer.

The gradient concentration of the material having the smallest hole tunneling barrier height can be advantageous in improving various properties of non-volatile memory devices, particularly those having a SONONOS, or SONONOS-like structure. For example, retention state charge loss can be diminished, hole tunneling under high electric fields can be improved and, to the extent it may occur, charge-trapping in the tunnel dielectric can be avoided.

The band diagram of a tunneling dielectric structure can be advantageously modified in accordance with this aspect of the present invention such that the valence band energy level and the conduction band energy level of the middle layer do not have a constant value, but rather vary across the thickness of the layer with the concentration of the material having the smallest hole tunneling barrier height.

Multi-layer tunneling dielectric structures in accordance with such embodiments of the present invention, can be prepared in a variety of ways. For example, a first silicon dioxide or silicon oxynitride layer can be formed using any number of conventional oxidation approaches including, but not limited to thermal oxidation, radical (ISSG) oxidation, and plasma oxidation/nitridation, as well as chemical vapor deposition processes. A middle layer with a gradient concentration of SiN can then be formed, for example, via chemical vapor deposition processes, or alternatively, by plasma nitridation of excess oxide or oxynitride formed on top of the first layer. A third layer, the upper oxide layer, can then be formed, for example, by oxidation or chemical vapor deposition.

A charge storage layer can then be formed over the tunnel dielectric structure. In one example, a charge storage layer of about 5 nm to 10 nm may be formed over the tunnel dielectric structure. In one particular example, a silicon nitride layer of about 7 nm or thicker may be used. The insulating layer above the charge storage layer may be about 5 nm to 12 nm. For example, a silicon oxide layer of about 9 nm or thicker may be used. And the silicon oxide layer may be formed by a thermal process converting at least a portion of a nitride layer to form the silicon oxide layer. Any method, known or to be developed, for forming layers of suitable materials described herein can be used to deposit or form tunnel dielectric layers, charge-storage layers and/or insulating layers. Suitable methods include, for example, thermal growth methods and chemical vapor deposition methods.

In one example, a thermal conversion process may provide a high density or concentration of interfacial traps that can enhance the trapping efficiency of a memory device. For example, thermal conversion of nitride can be carried out at 1000° C., while the gate flow ratio is H2:O2=1000:4000 sccm.

In addition, because silicon nitride generally has very low (about 1.9 eV) hole barrier, it may become transparent to hole tunneling under high field. Meanwhile, the total thickness of a tunnel dielectric, such as an ONO structure, may prevent direct tunneling of electrons under a low electric field. In one example, this asymmetrical behavior may provide a memory device offering not only fast hole-tunneling erase, but also reduction or elimination of charge leakage during retention.

An exemplary device may be fabricated by 0.12 μm NROM/Bit technologies. Table 1 shows the device structure and parameters in one example. The tunnel dielectric with an ultra-thin O/N/O may alter the hole tunneling current. A thicker (7 nm) N2 layer may serve as a charge-trapping layer and an O3 (9 nm) layer may serve as the blocking layer in one example. Both N2 and O3 may be fabricated using NROM/NBit technologies. TABLE 1 Layer Approximate Thickness (Angstroms) Bottom Oxide (O1) 15 Inter Nitride (N1) 20 Inter Oxide (O2) 18 Trapping Nitride (N2) 70 Blocking Oxide (O3) 90 Gate: N+ - polysilicon Channel length: 0.18 μm Channel width: 0.18 μm

In certain embodiments of the present invention, a gate can comprise a material having a work function greater than that of N⁺ polysilicon. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, such a high work function gate material can comprise a metal such as, for example, platinum, iridium, tungsten, and other noble metals. Preferably, the gate material in such embodiments has a work function greater than or equal to about 4.5 eV. In particularly preferred embodiments, the gate material comprises a high work function metal such as, for example, platinum or iridium. Additionally, preferred high work function materials include, but are not limited to P⁺ polysilicon, and metal nitrides such as, for example, titanium nitride and tantalum nitride. In particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, the gate material comprises platinum.

An exemplary device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having a high work function gate material may also be fabricated by 0.12 μm NROM/NBit technologies. Table 2 shows the device structure and parameters in one example. The tunnel dielectric with an ultra-thin O/N/O may alter the hole tunneling current. A thicker (7 nm) N2 layer may serve as a charge-trapping layer and an O3 (9 nm) layer may serve as the blocking layer in one example. Both N2 and O3 may be fabricated using NROM/NBit technologies. TABLE 2 Layer Approximate Thickness (Angstroms) Bottom Oxide 15 Inter Nitride 20 Inter Oxide 18 Trapping Nitride (N2) 70 Blocking Oxide 90 Gate: Platinum Channel length: 0.18 μm Channel width: 0.18 μm

Memory cells in accordance with high work function gate material embodiments of the present invention exhibit erase properties which are even more improved over other embodiments. High work function gate materials suppress gate electron injection into the trapping layer. In certain embodiments of the present invention wherein the memory cells comprise an N⁺ polysilicon gate, hole tunneling into the charge-trapping layer during erase occurs simultaneously with gate electron injection. This self-converging erase effect results in higher threshold voltage levels in the erased state, which can be undesirable in NAND applications. Memory cells in accordance with high work function gate material embodiments of the present invention can be used in various type of memory applications including, for example, NOR- and NAND-type memories. However, the memory cells according to high work function gate material embodiments of the present invention are particularly suitable for use in NAND applications where elevated threshold voltages in the erased/reset state can be undesirable. Memory cells in accordance with high work function gate material embodiments of the present invention can be erased via hole tunneling methods and preferably via —FN erasing operations.

Because charge-trapping layer 130 is non-conductive, when carriers tunnel into charge-trapping layer 130, the carriers are trapped therein and become relatively immobile. By controlling the biases on control gate 150, source 102, and drain 104, it is possible to control into which part of charge-trapping layer 130 the carriers tunnel. Therefore, charge-trapping layer 130 may be divided into two parts, a first bit and a second bit, each for the storage of one bit of information. In one aspect, the first bit corresponds to the part of charge-trapping layer 130 adjacent to the first bit line, or source 102, and the second bit corresponds to the part of charge-trapping layer 130 adjacent to the second bit line, or drain 104. By controlling the part of charge-trapping layer 130 into which the carriers tunnel, the first bit and the second bit may be respectively programmed, read, or erased. Since the source and drain of a MOS structure are generally interchangeable, the programming or reading method for the first bit of memory cell 100 may also be applied to program or read the second bit. Therefore, only the method for the first bit is described herein.

Exemplary memory arrays in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention are represented schematically in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG. 2 depicts an array structure having discontinuous bit lines (vertical) comprising a plurality of diffusion regions (S/D), which may function as sources or drains, and a plurality of word lines (horizontal). The diffusion regions are formed in the substrate and the areas of the substrate below the word lines and between two adjacent diffusion regions in the same discontinuous bit line define a plurality of channel regions. Lg represents the channel length. Ls is the space between each memory cell. W is the channel width and Ws is the width of the shallow trench isolations (STI) which help to separate the transistor fields from one another. The trench depth of the shallow trench isolations is preferably larger than the depletion width in the p-well during programming. Suitable trench depths can be about 100 to 400 nm. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a portion of the array depicted in FIG. 2, taken along a line in the direction of the channel length. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic view of a portion of the array depicted in FIG. 2, taken along a line in the direction of the channel width.

FIG. 5 depicts an equivalent circuit diagram of a memory array in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The intersection of each word line (WL) with two adjacent bit lines (BL's) comprises a transistor, and each transistor comprises a two-bit cell, wherein a first bit, “bit-1” can be stored separately from a second bit, “bit-2”. As shown in FIG. 5, the memory cell comprising Bit-1 and Bit-2 is formed by BL₂, BL₃ and WL₇.

The operations of memory cell arrays in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention are next explained with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 a, 8 b, 9, 10, 11, 12 a, 12 b, 13 a, 13 b, 14, 15, 16 and 17.

Referring to FIG. 6, a memory cell array in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is first reset (i.e., all cells erased) by applying a first set of biases thereto. Specifically, each word line (WL) is biased at a high negative voltage of about −12V to about −20V, and preferably about −18V, and each bit line (BL) is grounded. Select transistors (SLG's) which may optionally be present in conjunction with the memory array are also negatively biased, or switched on. Thus, a strong vertical electric field is created below the word lines (WL's), each of which corresponds to a gate in a row of memory cells. Under the strong electric field, two tunneling processes take place simultaneously. In the first process, electrons tunnel from the gate, through the insulating layer, into the charge-trapping layer. In the second process, holes tunnel from the channel, through the multi-layer ONO tunneling dielectric layer, into the charge-trapping layer. A dynamic balance may be reached between the two tunneling processes, which is defined as the reset state of the memory cell. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, at the dynamic balance after reset, the concentration of electrons in the charge-trapping layer is such that a threshold voltage, V_(th), of memory device can be positive or negative. In those embodiments wherein the Vth is positive, the memory device is turned on as long at V_(g)−V_(d)<V_(th) or V_(g)−V_(s)<V_(th), wherein V_(g) is the bias at control gate, V_(d) is the bias at drain, and V_(s) is the bias at source, and the memory device is a depletion mode MOS transistor at the reset state. In certain other preferred embodiments, the gate is selected from materials having a high work function, preferably greater than about 4.5 eV, such as platinum. The use of such gate materials is helpful in limiting gate electron injection, and thus, lower erase state threshold voltages can be obtained.

FIG. 7 depicts the typical threshold voltage properties of a memory device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention wherein the gate comprises N⁺ polysilicon, as a function of erase time. As shown in FIG. 7, the threshold voltage of the device reaches a dynamic balance. The reset state is the point where the two curves approach one another. As shown in FIG. 7, the time for the reset operation required to reach the reset state in the example device represented by FIG. 7 is approximately 10 msec.

Referring to FIG. 8 a, the first bit of memory cell A is programmed by applying a second set of biases to the device to cause band-to-band tunneling hot electron injection (“BBHE” or “BTBTHE”). The word line associated with the cell to be programmed, WL₃ in FIG. 8 a, is biased at a positive voltage, e.g., 5-8 V, and the first bit line of memory cell A is biased at a negative voltage, e.g., −5 to −8 V, and both the second bit line of memory cell A, and substrate are grounded. All other word lines are negatively biased and any optionally present select transistors are turned on as applicable, such as SLG₂ in FIG. 8 a. In general, the negative bias applied to the bit line and the positive voltage applied to the word line can have a difference of from about 8V to about 15V. Thus, the junction between source and substrate is reversely biased, creating a deep depletion region therebetween. Due to the deep depletion region and, therefore, a strong electric field across the junction, electrons tunnel from the valence band on the side of source to the conduction band on the side of substrate, and are accelerated by an electric field created by the biases at the first and second bit lines along channel region. As the electrons are accelerated along channel region and attain high energy, the vertical electric field due to the positive control bias applied to the word line (i.e., gate) “pulls” some of the electrons out of channel region and the electrons are injected into charge-trapping layer. In other words, electrons tunnel through the multi-layer tunneling dielectric layer into the charge-trapping layer. Since the electrons gain most of their energy in the neighborhood of the source, or the first bit line, they tunnel into the part of the charge-trapping layer that is adjacent to the first bit line. Therefore, in that part of the charge-trapping layer, the distribution profile of the electrons is modified such that the density of the electrons is higher. Programming currents for BTBTHE are typically small, such as, for example, about 10 nA. Programming times are short. In general, programming time of about 30 μsec or less can be used.

Referring to FIG. 8 b, Bit-2 of memory cell A is programmed similarly by applying a positive bias to the word line, WL₃, and a negative bias to the second bit line, BL₂ in this example. All other word lines are negatively biased and any optionally present select transistors are turned on as applicable, such as SLG₃ in FIG. 8 b.

Referring to FIG. 9, a two-bit per memory cell window having a value of greater than 1 V is achieved through the programming aspects of the present invention. In preferred embodiments wherein Vg/V_(D)=6/−6 V, the threshold voltage differential between bit 1 and bit 2 is at least 1 V.

Adjacent cells are minimally, if at all, disturbed when programming a neighboring cell. Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, for example, when programming bit-1 or bit-2 of Cell A, the threshold voltage of Cell B, Cell C and Cell D are hardly affected. The threshold voltages of the adjacent cells as a function of time are shown in FIG. 11.

Referring to FIGS. 12 a and 12 b, to read the first bit of memory cell A, a third set of biases is applied to the device. Reading of the memory cells in accordance with the present invention is preferably carried out using reverse read methods. Specifically, the word line corresponding to the memory cell, WL₇ in FIG. 12 a, is biased at a voltage, e.g., 1V, between the erased state level (EV) and the programmed state level (PV). All other wordlines are pass gates during reading and are thus biased at V_(CWL). As reverse read is employed, the first bit line is grounded, and a negative voltage of from about −1 to about −2.5 V is applied to the second bit line, and preferably a negative voltage of about −2V, as shown in FIG. 12 a. A sensing circuit (not shown) external to the memory cell then senses the current passing through the channel due to the bias difference between source and drain. In one aspect, the difference between the bias at the control gate and the bias at the source is between V_(th1) and V_(th), i.e., V_(th)<V_(g)−V_(s)<V_(th1). Thus, the first bit will be turned on if it is programmed, and will be turned off if it is in the reset state. By sensing the current passing through memory call A, it may be determined whether the first bit is programmed or not. Referring to FIG. 12 b, reading of bit-2 of memory cell A is carried out similarly wherein the second bit line is grounded and the first bitline is negatively biased.

Devices and methods in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention perform better and exhibit increased memory windows between the two bits of a cell when larger read voltages are employed. Referring to FIG. 13 a, as the difference between the threshold voltages of bit-1 and bit-1 as a function of read voltage increases, the more negative the read voltage becomes. As shown in FIG. 13 b, the threshold voltage difference is approximately 1.0 V at a read voltage of −2.0 V.

Read currents for the devices of the present invention were evaluated and are suitable for flash applications. After a device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is reset to Vt=2.5V, various read voltages and V_(CWL) were used to read the NAND string. Larger read voltages and larger V_(CWL) achieve larger read currents. Referring to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, it is shown that a zero V_(CWL) obtains a 0.5 μA read current, a V_(CWL)=−5 V and a read voltage of −2 V obtains a 2 μA current.

Erasing the memory devices according to the present invention is carried out in virtually the same manner as the reset operation described hereinabove, although the erase times are faster than reset. Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, wordline erase biases of −18 V provide erasing in well under 10 msec. FIG. 17 depicts the threshold voltage on erase as a function of time at three different gate voltages.

The devices in accordance with the present invention also exhibit excellent program/erase cycle endurance. Referring to FIG. 18, the threshold voltage of two bits in both the programmed state and the erased state at initial reset and throughout 10,000 P/E cycles is graphed. As shown in FIG. 18, the threshold voltages did not vary significantly over 10,000 cycles.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A method comprising: (a) providing a memory cell comprising (i) an n-type substrate having two p-type source/drain regions disposed below a surface, the substrate and separated by a channel region, (ii) a multilayer tunneling dielectric structure disposed above the channel region, (iii) a charge-storage layer disposed above the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure, (iv) an insulating layer disposed above the charge-storage layer, and (v) a control gate disposed above the insulating layer; and (b) applying a positive bias to the control gate and a negative bias to one of the source/drain regions.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure comprises an oxide/nitride/oxide trilayer.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure comprises a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide trilayer.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the potential difference between the positive bias and the negative bias is at least about 10 volts.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the positive bias is about 5 to about 10 volts.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the negative bias is about −5 to about −10 volts.
 7. A method of operating a memory device, wherein the memory device includes an n-type substrate and a plurality of memory cells formed thereon, each memory cell including a control gate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region defined between the source and drain regions, a charge-trapping layer provided above the channel region, a multilayer tunneling dielectric structure provided between the charge-trapping layer and the channel region, and an insulating layer provided between the charge-trapping layer and the control gate, wherein the control gate corresponds to a word line, the source region corresponds to a first bit line, and the drain region corresponds to a second bit line, and wherein each memory cell includes a first bit portion and a second bit portion, each for storing one bit of information, the method comprising: programming the first bit portion of the selected memory cell by applying a positive bias to the word line of the selected memory cell and applying a negative bias to the first bit line of the selected memory cell, such that electrons are injected into the charge-trapping layer.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure comprises an oxide/nitride/oxide trilayer.
 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the multilayer tunneling dielectric structure comprises a silicon oxide/silicon nitride/silicon oxide trilayer.
 10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the potential difference between the positive bias and the negative bias is at least about 10 volts.
 11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the positive bias is about 5 to about 10 volts.
 12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the negative bias is about −5 to about −10 volts.
 13. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: performing an erase/reset operation prior to programming the first bit portion, wherein the erase/reset operation comprises: (i) applying a negative bias to the word line of one or more selected memory cells, and (ii) applying a ground bias to the first bit line and the second bit line of the one or more selected memory cells, such that a dynamic balancing condition between hole injection and electron injection in the one or more selected memory cells occurs.
 14. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: performing an erase/reset operation subsequent to programming the first bit portion, wherein the erase/reset operation comprises: (i) applying a negative bias to the word line of one or more selected memory cells, and (ii) applying a ground bias to the first bit line and the second bit line of the one or more selected memory cells, such that a dynamic balancing condition between hole injection and electron injection in the one or more selected memory cells occurs.
 15. A method of operating a memory device, wherein the memory device includes an n-type substrate and a plurality of memory cells formed thereon, each memory cell including a control gate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region defined between the source and drain regions, a charge-trapping layer provided above the channel region, a multi-layer tunneling dielectric layer provided between the charge-trapping layer and the channel region, and an insulating layer provided between the charge-trapping layer and the control gate, wherein the control gate corresponds to a word line, the source region corresponds to a first bit line, and the drain region corresponds to a second bit line, and wherein each memory cell includes a first bit portion and a second bit portion, each for storing one bit of information, the method comprising: (a) resetting a selected memory cell, including; (i) applying a first negative bias to the word line of the selected memory cell, and (ii) applying a ground bias to both the first bit line and the second bit line, such that a dynamic balancing condition between hole injection and electron injection occurs; and (b) programming the first bit portion of the selected memory cell, including; (i) applying a first positive bias to the word line of the selected memory cell, (ii) applying a second negative bias to the first bit line of the selected memory cell, such that electrons are injected into the charge-trapping layer, and (iii) applying a ground bias to the second bit line of the selected memory cell. 